Role of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Diabetic Nephropathy: Lessons from Diabetic eNOS Knockout Mice

Figure 1

STZ injection causes acute tubular injury in eNOS −/−, but not eNOS +/+, mice. Tubular function of STZ eNOS −/− and eNOS +/+ mice were assessed by -MAG3 dynamic renal scintigraphy at 6 and 14 weeks after low-dose STZ injections (50 mg/kg, 5 days). STZ eNOS −/− mice (dashed box) showed delayed -MAG3 excretion at 6 weeks after STZ injections, indicating tubular injury in these mice; however, these mice exhibited nearly normal pattern of -MAG3 renal scintigraphy at 14 weeks after STZ injections. STZ eNOS +/+ mice showed normal -MAG3 renogram at both time points.